APEC SME Week to Kick Off in Jeju This September

'APEC SME Ministerial Meeting' to Be Held on September 5
Focus on SME Challenges: Climate Change, AI, and Supply Chains
Eight Related Events Including Innovation Forum and Startup Day

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on August 28 that it will officially launch APEC SME Week, including the 31st APEC SME Ministerial Meeting, at the Jeju International Convention Center (JEJU ICC) on September 1.

The APEC SME Ministerial Meeting is one of the sectoral meetings held in advance of the APEC Summit, which will take place in Gyeongju this October. Representatives from 21 APEC member economies will gather to discuss policy cooperation on challenges faced by SMEs, such as climate change and population decline. Beyond being a simple international conference, this event is also a significant opportunity for Korean SMEs to expand their global networks through cooperation with APEC member economies.

Hansung Sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups. Ministry of SMEs and Startups

Accordingly, the Ministry has designated the first week of September, when the APEC Ministerial Meeting will be held, as "APEC SME Week." The Ministry has prepared a variety of programs to ensure that APEC SME stakeholders can fully experience the excellence of Korea's leading SMEs, venture businesses, and small business owners.

APEC SME Week will kick off on September 1 with the official workshop, the "APEC SME Innovation Forum." A commemorative ceremony will also be held to mark the 20th anniversary of the "APEC SME Innovation Center," which was established following the joint declaration at the 2005 APEC SME Ministerial Meeting in Daegu.

On the second day, September 2, the official workshop "ASEIC Global Eco-friendly Forum" will be held, where participants will discuss ways to promote eco-friendly innovation and cooperation across Asia, Europe, and the APEC region. This will be followed by the "APEC SME Working Group Meeting" on September 3 and 4, where SME policy officials from APEC member economies will gather for in-depth discussions on the challenges faced by SMEs and policy responses.

The highlight of the event, the "APEC SME Ministerial Meeting," will take place on the final day, September 5. Ministers from each member economy will attend to conclude the discussions and adopt a joint declaration outlining the outcomes of the meeting and future plans.

This Ministerial Meeting will be held under the theme "SMEs: The Driving Force for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth." Member economies will share their policies on SME challenges and discuss three specific cooperation initiatives. Through this, the meeting is expected to serve as an important venue for charting the direction of SME cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region in response to global crises faced by SMEs, such as the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and changes in global supply chains.

In addition, during "APEC Ministerial Meeting Week," eight flagship events for SMEs, venture businesses, and small business owners organized by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups will be held, starting with the opening ceremony of the pre-event "Accompanying Festival" (August 30-31), "Global Startup Day in Jeju," and the Technology Management Innovation Expo, among others. Through these rich side events, the Ministry aims to showcase the innovative capabilities of Korean SMEs to the world and create opportunities for global expansion.

Hansung Sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, stated, "This 'APEC SME Week,' including the Ministerial Meeting, is a valuable opportunity for our SMEs to leap onto the global stage. We will actively support our companies so that, through cooperation with APEC member economies, they can drive innovation, inclusiveness, and sustainable growth, and use this as a springboard to enter the global market."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.